Driven plate



Nov. 10, 1931. c. M. AHLENE ET AL .1,830,745

l DRIVEN PLATE Filed Deo, 12. 1928- WHW@ Patented Nav. 1o, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARL MARTIN AHLENE AND HAROLD V. REED, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO THE BORG & BECK COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, 'A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS DRIVEN PLATE Application led December 12, 1928. Serial No. 325,568.

This invention relates to friction clutches of the kind wherein a driven plate is interposed between two parts of a driving member and is adapted to be gripped or clamped by the parts under sufficient pressure to 1mpart motion from the driving member tothe driven member; and it relates more particularly to the cushioned type of driven plate set forth in the application of Carl Martin Ahlene, Serial No. 261,304, filed March 13, 1928, Patent No. 1,727,153, patented September 3, 1929.

The object of this invention is to provide a cushioned4 driven plate of this type which Ishall be sufficiently yieldable to take hold smoothly, evenly and quickly and without setting up vibrations in the clutch or carrying forward engine vibrations to the transmission and which will be free from excessive wear and continue to perform its functions eiciently throughout the life of the clutch.

Another object of the invention is to mount the cushioned springs-in the driven plate in a novel manner to insure their retention in place but with the least amount of restriction so as to preserve their freedom of movement without excessive wear.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating a selected embodiment of the invention Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the driven plate,

partly broken away and partly in section.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the linel 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an elevation on a reduced scale of the hub member.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation on a reduced scale of the side plate.

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the spring under compression.

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings the driven plate comprises a friction member which is mounted upon a centrally disposed hub member, and coil springs are interposed between said members and mounted in a novel manner so that movement of the friction member is communicated through the spring cushion to the hub member without setting up vibrations in the clutch and without carrying forward engine vibrations to the transmission, the springs being securely retained against accidental displacement and at the same time being free from restriction which would be apt to produce excessive wear.

The hub member comprises a hub 9 having an integral peripheral flange 10 and a plurality of radially disposed spokes 11 projecting therefrom, these spokes having oppositely disposed lugs 12 thereon. The friction member comprises a plate 13 which is loosely mounted on the hub alongside the flange 10` and is provided with friction facings 14. The friction plate member may be made as shown in Patent No. 1,659,289, patented February 14, 1928, or in any other suitable form. A side plate 15, Fig. 5, is secured by rivets 16 or other suitable fastening devices to the plate member 13 and it is bent to overlap the flange 1() and form with the friction plate member a housing for the flange and for the coil springs 17 which are arranged betweenthe friction plate and the side late and between the spokes of the hub mem er. The side plate has openings 18 disposed opposite the springs and the friction plate has similar openings 19. Lips 20 are formed on the side plate at the inner edges of the openings 18 and lips 21 are formed on the friction plate at the inner edges of the openings 19 to prevent displacement of the springs from their seats between the spokes 11 of the hub member and between the ends of the openings 18 in the side plate and the openings 19 in the friction plate. These lips are bent outward to conform generally to the shape of the springs and sufficiently to maintain a consistent clearance between themselves and the springs. The lugs 12 on the spokes engage the ends of the springs and center the springs in their seats so that they will not engage the lips 20 and 21, or the outer edges of the openings 18 and 19. The springs will be always retained by the lugs 12 in their seats and will be restrained .against barefu `displacement by the lips 20 and 21 in ex.

treme conditions. lhese springs are loose members which must operate freely for best results and which must e'eifectively retained in operative position. It is recognized that` Y service, which oc'eurs fre uently, would roduce wear and this woul reduce the li e of the friction member and create undesirable noises. A broken spring or a badly worn spring may drop out of its seat and produce serious trouble in the clutch. Therefore, it is highly im ortant to effectively retain the springs in t e driven member and in such manner that they will notbe sub'ected to unnecessary or excessive wear. T Ais we have accom lished in the manner shown and describe herein and it will be observed that the s rings are at all times clear from the parts about them except at their ends, and while they are securely retained in their seats they are free, except at their ends, from contact with any part of the friction member. In providing for clearance between the springs and the adjacent parts of the friction memberwe prefer to widen Athe openings 18 and 19 between their ends, as shown more clearly in Fig. 5, to accommodate any transverse enlargement of the springs under compression and any outward 'movement of the springs under centrifugal force.

We have shown the inventionY in the form which has been found to be commercially satisfactory but clutches and friction members are made in many sizes, shapes and styles and we reserve the right to make such changes as may be necessary foradapting our invention to any other friction members, or for other purposes within the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A driven plate for friction clutches comprising a hub member having a flange, a friction member comprising a friction plate overlapping said flange and aside plate rigid with the friction plate and overlapping said flange, said flange, friction plate and side plate provided in their overlapped parts with unrestricted registering openings, guard means on said plates at the edges of said openingsand normally out of engagement with said springs, and coil springs seated in said openings betwen the end walls and out of enl gagement with the edges thereof and forming a sectional spring cushion between the friction member and the hub memberf 3. A driven plate for friction clutches coinprising a hub member having a flange, a friction member comprising a friction plate overlapping said flange and a side plate rigid with the friction plate and overlapping said flange, said flange, friction plate and side plate provided in their overlapped parts with unrestricted registering openings, guard lips projecting from the edges of said openings' adjacent to but normally out of engagement,v with said springs, and coil springs seated in said openings between the end Walls and out of engagement with the edges thereof and forming a sectional spring cushion between the friction member and the hub member.

4. A driven plate for friction clutches comprising a hub member having a flange, a friction member overlapping the flange, said flange and friction member provided in their. overlapping parts with registering openings, coil springs seated in said openings between the end walls and out of engagement with the edges thereof, means for retaining the springs in said openings, and means for accommodat ing outward movement of the springs under compression and centrifugal force.

5. A driven plate for friction clutches comprising a hub member having a pluralit of spokes a friction member comprising a riction plate overlapping said spokes on one side thereof and a side plate rigid with the friction plate and overlapping the spokes on the other side thereof, said friction plate a1id\` side plate having unrestricted openings regis- KYm,

tering with the open spaces between the spokes on the hub member, and coil s rings seated in said openings between the en walls and out of engagement with the edges there of and forming a sectional spring cushion be- Yiig ween the friction member and the hub mem- 6. A driven plate for friction clutches comprising a Ahub memberhaving a plurality of spokes, a friction member comprising a friction plate overlapping said spo es on one side thereof and a side vlate rigid with the fri tion plate and over apping the spokes on th other side thereof, said friction plate and si plate having unrestricted openings registe ing with the open spaces between the spoke on the hub member, coil springs seated in said engagement With the edges thereof and for ing a sectional spring cushion between th openings between ,the end walls and out-lg; y;

friction member, and the hub member and retaining lugs on the spokes engaging the ends of the s rings.

7. A riven plate for friction clutches com- I prising a hub member having a plurali of 5 s okes, a frictonalmember comprising a riction plate overla ping said spokes on one side thereof and a si e plate rigid with the friction late and overlap in the spokes on the ot er side thereof, said riction plate and l side plate having openings registering with the open spaces between the spokes on the hub member, coil springs seated in said openings between the end walls thereof and the spokes and forming a sectional sprin cushion between the friction member, and t e hub member and lips on the plates between the ends of the openings therein and normally out of en gement with said springs for preventingA isplacement thereof.

8. A driven plate for friction clutches comprisin a hub member havin a flange, a friction p ate overla pin sai flange, a side Plate rigid with t e friction plate and overu apping said flange, said plates and flange provided in their overlapped parts with registering openings, sprin s seated in said openings between the ends t ereof, and means on said lates at the sides of the springs clearu ing t e srings in operation but arranged to confine t e s rin s in their seats.

AR MARTIN AHLENE. HARQLD V. REED. l 

